After seeing the other sitcom sequels, Romano says an ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ reboot is ‘out of the question’
Ray Romano says that, when it comes to his legendary sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, a soulless, cash-grab reboot is “out of the question.” And that’s why there will never be a show called Everybody Loves Kelsey.
Over the past six years, the three-time Emmy-winner has been writing an extra act onto his already impressive career. In films like The Big Sick, Paddleton and The Irishman, Romano stretched his range past where most TV watchers would pigeon-hole the Queens-born comedian and established himself as an esteemed dramatic actor in a career arc that we lovingly call The Romanaissance. However, while Romano was building a filmography full of thoughtful indie films, another holdover from the late 1990s to early 2000s sitcom boom was also enjoying a resurgence in popularity — the late 1990s to early 2000s sitcom itself. Between Fuller House, That ‘90s Show, Bel-Air and, of course, the sequel series unworthy of bearing the name Frasier, it seemed inevitable that a network-owned streaming service would make a play for Everybody Still Loves Raymond. Thankfully, Raymond doesn’t love reboots.
While promoting his directorial debut film Somewhere in Queens during a recent episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, Romano shot down a question about a possible reprisal of his nine-season CBS sitcom that ended gracefully in 2009, saying of the unfortunate popularity of decades-late sitcom sequels, “They’re never as good, and we want to leave with our legacy as what it is.” So he’s definitely been suffering through the new Frasier, too.
Additionally, Romano says that an Everybody Loves Raymond revival wouldn’t be possible due to the absence of many important creatives from the original show — not that it’s stopped other sequel sitcoms. Romano remarked, “It’s out of the question because now (Ray Barone’s) parents are gone: Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts,” referring to the passing of the two actors who played Frank and Marie Barone respectively.
Romano even admitted that, during the show’s original run, other cast members lobbied him to extend the series even further than nine seasons. “The rest of the cast wanted it to go on,” Romano revealed, “but myself and (show creator) Phil Rosenthal, we thought it was time.” Thanks to Romano’s preference toward quality over proliferation, the retrospective opinion of Everybody Loves Raymond remains high as it’s consistently ranked among the top sitcoms of all time in recent lists.
It’s too bad that Romano is one of the few sitcom stars from his generation who is willing to leave us wanting more — hell, even Jerry Seinfeld has stirred up gossip over some mysterious post-finale Seinfeld project. However, in a media landscape full of nostalgia mining and legacy liquidation, Everybody Loves Raymond fans can rejoice in knowing that the Barones are safe and sound on Long Island, never to be disturbed, resurrected or relocated to Boston.
